


Not So Different

by Samfparker



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comfort, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, Professor Draco Malfoy, Professor Hermione Granger, Romance, Veela Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:42:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27880058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samfparker/pseuds/Samfparker
Summary: A series of unrelated Dramione one shots.1. Hermione comes home expecting an empty house (Fluff/Humor)2. The nights aren't always kind (Hurt/Comfort)3. In which Draco is also a Veela (Hurt/Comfort)4. In which the Professors have a confrontation (Fluff/Humor)
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 10
Kudos: 84





	1. Hermione comes home expecting an empty house (Fluff/Humor)

Hermione came home after a long day at work and slipped her shoes off at the door. There was a rustling in the kitchen than quickened her heart rate. She lived alone and living through a war still made her think of awful possibilities. Breathing shallow, she followed it, padding across the carpet.

In the middle of the kitchen, a blonde had his back turned to her as he struggled with a bag.

"Draco?" she asked. Her heart beat was already starting to calm.

He jumped and the contents of the bag scattered across the floor in a rattling shower. One rolled towards her and bumped her bare foot.

"How did you get into my apartment?" she asked, trying not to laugh as he stood sheepishly in the middle of puddle of kernels.

He set the now empty bag onto her stove top and turned towards her with a sigh. "Aren't you supposed to be at a business dinner?" he asked with a slightly annoyed tone, folding his arms.

She shrugged and pulled off her suit jacket, trying not to get annoyed too. "I canceled it."

He raised an eyebrow. "How are you going to discuss your agenda for the bill?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and hopped up onto the counter. She swallowed down the irritation the rose when she thought of the meeting. "I told him I'd send another delegate." She rested her head against one of the cabinets and closed her eyes. "Congratulations, you get to negotiate with him after all."

"That not why I told you not to do it. What made you do it?"

Eyes still closed, she shrugged again. "The third time he squeezed my thigh," she muttered.

"He did what?" Draco's voice spiked in volume and pitch.

Hermione yawned and hoped he would let it go.

"Oi," –he poked her shoulder- "tell me you punched him."

She pried one eye open and smiled a little. "Thought about it, but we do need our additions on the bill."

He frowned and clenched his hands.

She slid down off the counter, her skirt bunching up a little, and then reached to hold his wrists above his fists. "You aren't allowed to hit him either."

He sighed and leaned down to press his forehead against hers. She pressed against him and enjoyed the comfort the contact brought. "I knew he was a wanker," he said.

She pressed her finger against his lips. "None of that."

His lips twitched against her hand, sending a little jolt down her arm. "Want popcorn?"

She glanced down at the mess on the floor. "You don't open the bag until after you put it in the microwave. Didn't you read the directions?"

He pouted a little. "The corn never made a popping noise."

"Did you turn on the microwave?"

At his blank face she smiled. "Nevermind." She vanished the kernels on the floor. "How did you get into my apartment?" she asked as she tried to slide past him.

He caught her and pulled her backwards until he had her back hugged against him. His arms pressed firmly against her stomach and for the first time that day she felt safe. "You looked like today had run you over like the Hogwarts express. Then you were going to have a meeting with that wa-"

Hermione cleared her throat.

"Harry says this is how muggles relax."

Hermione tried to turn her head to see his face. "What?"

"Popcorn and a movie. He didn't look so happy when I told him I wanted to do it for you."

"But he helped anyway." Harry would've wanted her happy even if it was 'because of the ferret.'

"Mmm," his voice rumbled against the back of her head. "He had a weirdly evil look when he gave me the movie though. Something about a train called Thomas..."

Hermione snorted. "Oh, we should watch it," she said innocently.

She showed him how to properly operate the microwave and he frowned as it lit up and started rotating the bag around. "Tricky muggle contraptions," he muttered.

Hermione smiled. "You think you can follow the rest of the instructions?" she teased.

He rolled his eyes as she went to her bedroom to change. He had the popcorn in a bowl and was waiting on the couch when she came back out. He ran a critical eye over her sweats.

"No pajamas?"

"You wish." She started the movie and sat down next to him. Instead of watching the movie, she watched Draco's face. At first he was sitting forward and staring intently but as the movie continued he frowned slightly and his eyebrow quirked. He glanced over to her, narrowed his eyes, and then returned to the screen.

"So?" Hermione asked, trying to keep the laugh out of her voice.

"Erm..." Draco grimaced. "Muggles like this sort of thing?"

She leaned towards him and said with a straight face and raised eyebrows, "You don't?"

He couldn't seem to erase the panicked grimace as he met her eyes. "Erm..."

Hermione laughed into his face.

He froze for a startled second and then narrowed his eyes at her. "So Harry really does hate me."

She tried to ease the wrinkle between his eyebrows. "You're here, aren't you?"

He glanced back to the animated train on screen. "Then you hate me?" he asked with quirked eyebrow.

Her eyes slid down to his lips. "Not quite." She muted the television. "You know what else muggles do to relax?" She slid onto his lap.

His hands automatically braced her sides. "I know what wizards do."

She leaned forward so that their lips were close. "Well, they aren't so different, you know."

One of his hands slid up into her hair and pulled her down for a kiss. "I sure hope not," he muttered against her lips.

She twisted closer to him and they didn't talk for a long time afterwards.

...

A/N: This was written when I just needed something low stress to help me cope with the tension of an exam. Enjoy some fluff ;)


	2. The nights aren't always kind (Hurt/Comfort)

Hermione awoke to the sound of Draco gasping.

"No, no, no! Please..." he muttered.

It hurt her heart, squeezing it with each plea. She reached across to shake his shoulder. He jolted and then was silent. It weighed heavy on her as she waited.

"Hermione?"

"Yes," she said, a little hoarsely.

"You can go back to sleep," he mumbled into his pillow.

She pushed herself up in bed until she was leaning against the bedpost. "The one about the manor?"

"You died this time," he whispered, barely audible, but she still heard his voice crack.

"Come here." She reached out and guided his head to rest against her chest. She could feel the tears collected on his eyelashes as they slid against her skin. She searched for anything to say that might help. "It's over. They're all dead now."

He shifted and pressed his face even harder against her. His chin was a little pointy but she allowed it.

"You're not," he mumbled.

He reached around her to squeeze her in a half-hug.

"No," she agreed. "And you're not."

She leaned down and kissed the eyelid tilted towards her, tasting the salty tears.

They stayed that way until Draco's breathing turned heavy again with sleep.


	3. In which Draco is also a Veela (Hurt/Comfort)

Hermione lay curled up on the coach, her head resting in Draco's lap. He tangled in his hands in her hair and then slowly drew them out, the strands gently pulling on her scalp.

She watched his thin face sadly. His cheekbones stood out too much and there were dark bags under his eyes. She didn't know what was wrong and he wouldn't tell her. Maybe he just didn't know and was too proud to admit it. It had been getting worse lately and still seeing him push himself to do romantic gestures was touching but also a little painful. "Dinner was lovely. Thank you, Draco," Hermione murmured, nestling her head into his leg.

"It was no trouble," he answered.

She pried one eye open. "Draco, I know you are sick. I know it was an effort what you did and it was very sweet."

He grunted. "Fine, it was a little trouble. It was supposed to be a bit of a grand gesture, actually, to soften you up for a question I wanted to ask."

Hermione stilled.

"Can you- can you sit up for this?"

She sat up slowly and turned to face him. She adjusted the straps on her dress as she tried to study his face. "What is it?"

He pulled a box from his suit pocket but then it got caught and he had to shake his hand a little before it got loose. "Merlin, these suit pockets are useless," he muttered before clicking it open. There sat a ring with an emerald surrounded by diamonds.

Hermione waited. She hadn't been expecting it, but that didn't mean she didn't want it. In fact, now that she knew what he was about to say she was desperate for it. How could she suddenly want something so badly now that she hadn't even been thinking about before?

"I know it is a bit gaudy for you but it's heirloom and I figured I'd offer it but also tell you we could go ring shopping," Draco explained in a rush.

Hermione bit her lip and waited a little more.

Draco slowly lowered the ring box. "Unless... you don't want..."

Shaking her head, she placed her hands on his. "Draco, you haven't asked me anything yet."

Cheeks tingeing pink, Draco looked down. "Right. Er, well. I know we're young but..." -he glanced up almost shyly- "would you be willing to spend the rest of your life with me as my wife?"

Hermione covered her mouth with both hands and then nodded. She hadn't expected to get so emotional with just one question that she already expected but it seemed to pull at all her hopes for the future and all the love that she had for this silly man in front of her. That affection gushed out of her eyes and made her nose runny.

"Are you sure?" he asked, tilting his head to try to get a good look at her face.

Laughing through the tears, Hermione threw herself forward and hugged him hard. "Yes, I want to be your wife, Draco."

He grabbed her tight to him, as if afraid she would let go. "Are- are you sure? You won't regret it?"

It was such a strange, earnest question. It made dread clench her stomach. She pushed off of his chest and then tried to read his face. "What's going on? Are you dying?"

Shaking his head, Draco closed the ring box and put it back in his pocket. "No, but I do need to tell you something before you give me your final answer."

"Final answer?" Hermione asked, smiling. "I know you like that stupid muggle show, but this is not Jeopardy."

"I'm serious."

"Okay." Hermione let her smile drop and waited, the start of anxiety pulling at her stomach.

"I-" Draco looked several places before he finally faced her again. "I- I'm- I'maVeela."

"A what?" Hermione asked though she had a sneaking suspicion she knew what he had said.

"A Veela," He mumbled, looking down.

"And I'm your mate?" Hermione guessed.

He nodded.

"How long have you known?"

He glanced up at her this time. "The whole time we've been dating."

Hermione abruptly stood up and then paced around the room. Turning towards Draco, she asked angrily, "When were you going to tell me?"

"Now," he answered, unperturbed.

"That was always your game plan? After you proposed?" She clenched her fists.

"I wanted you to know that you loved me before you agreed to be my mate," Draco said as he adjusted on the sofa.

"But I don't!" Hermione nearly yelled at him, putting her hands on her hips. "If you are a Veela then you have been able to manipulate me with your stupid pheromones!"

His eyes drifting shut, he shook his head. "No."

"No, what?" she spat.

"No, I've been taking potions to hold off on the transformation." He gave her a wane smile.

Hermione let her hands fall to her sides. "When will you transform?" Hermione asked.

Shrugging, he leaned his head back on the coach. "When I stop taking the potions, I suspect."

"Will you stop being so weak and sick?" She asked more quietly, hopefully. She hated seeing him like this.

Not opening his eyes, he lifted his shoulders up once again. "I think so."

She marched over to him and shook his shoulders. "Why were you such an idiot? Whatever you are taking is killing you! Why didn't you just tell me?"

Draco finally opened his eyes and smirked. "You barely softened up to me this way. Do you think I had a chance if you knew from the beginning?"

She opened her mouth to argue but Draco held up a hand.

"You would have pitied me, definitely, which I hate the idea of. You would have been turned on for sure." Hermione made a noise of disbelief and he laughed. "I don't even need Veela pheromones to turn you on, Hermione." He patted the cushion next to him. "But those aren't love and I knew you would eventually know that too even if you were blinded at first. You've known too much true love to be fooled by something like that for long."

Slowly, cautiously, she sat next to him. She felt what he was saying was true. For how long had he known her so well?

"So," Draco said as he fished around in his pocket again. "I've got a question I want to ask." He used both hands to get the ring box out again and the shiny emerald glinted in the candlelight. "Would you be willing to spend the rest of your life with me as my wife and mate?"

Laughing, she leaned in to kiss him on the lips and then stuck her hand out.

He plucked up the ring and then paused.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "What?"

Smirking, he looked up. "You haven't said anything yet."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, you idiot. I will be your wife and mate."

He barely got the ring onto her finger before he pulled her down on top of him and started kissing her. Pulling herself closer to him, she smiled against his lips and silently prayed in gratitude that somehow he had found a way for them to have a truly happy life together and that she didn't have to loose him. He was too caught up in the kissing to realize she had new tears of happiness running down her cheeks.

* * *

A/N: What is it about Veela stories that always makes me want to read them? Haha tried to get it out of my system by writing some myself. Just something I did quickly but still hope you enjoy :)


	4. In which the Professors have a confrontation

"Professor Malfoy!" Hermione called sharply.

He stopped, but so did several of the students milling about the hallway.

She made shooing motions at them. "Get to class, or you'll be late," she told them sternly. When they started to move again she finally turned her attention to Draco.

He raised a pale eyebrow. "What titillating subject do you want to discuss with me this time?"

She glanced around at their audience before using a hand on his shoulder to steer him farther down the hall. "It's those detentions you gave out," she hissed.

He smirked. "You're here because some Gryffindor snitched to you? Which one was it? A Weasley?"

She scowled as several student's head perked up again. She tugged at his robes to try to make him hurry. "How about we discuss this somewhere private?"

"Sure," he drawled and then gestured with his chin towards one of the moving staircases. "That's a shortcut to my office." Then he glanced down at his watch. "For now, anyway."

"Perfect," Hermione said, and tried to hurry him into leaving faster.

"Will you stop wrinkling my robes, Professor Granger," he said dryly. "I don't need rumors about you disheveling my attire."

She couldn't control the heat that rushed into her face and she quickly pulled back her hand. "If there are any, it will be because of you saying things like that in front of so many impressionable minds," she said, gesturing behind her towards where there were still several students watching them.

He snorted softly but turned to face the students. "Professor Granger is correct, students. Hurry off to your classes."

To her annoyance, they did, waving as they hopped onto the biggest staircase.

Draco and Hermione got onto the smaller one and silently started down the steps. She was thinking about how she could jab him about being stuck in the dungeons when the staircase started moving. "Is... this supposed to happen?" she asked him.

He frowned, checked his watch again, and then cursed.

"We're on school grounds," she reminded him. "I suppose it's not supposed to do this?"

"It's Wednesday, isn't it," Draco said glumly, and, ignoring her other statements, cursed again. "Well, it will be private, at least."

The stairs were slowly shifting to a level above Draco's offices.

"Oh," Hermione said. "It's that corridor with all the ancient artifacts everyone avoids?"

"Just don't touch anything," Draco said, giving her a meaningful look before starting forward.

She scoffed as she followed. "I'm not one of your students."

As she stepped off to join him on the floor he gave her a once over. "No, thank Merlin, you aren't."

She self consciously adjusted her hair. Trust him to throw her off balance like usual. "Now, about those detentions."

He wrapped his arm around her back to touch her opposite elbow, using it to lightly guide her down the middle of the hallway. "You want me to give you one too?"

She frowned at him again. That had probably been meant to be an innuendo rather than a threat. She could step away but that meant being closer to the artifacts. Most of them hadn't been tested beyond Dark Magic detection. She had no desire to see what other traits they may have.

This whole school was a death trap waiting to happen.

So instead she said, "The Forbidden Forest has been banned from detention use."

He smirked again. "Hmm.. did I really say Forbidden Forest?" he asked.

"And told them to complain to their Head of House if they didn't like it." she said angrily. Everyone knew about the possibility of giant spiders or an unfriendly centaur. "Which you knew was me!"

His smile deepened.

"What is with you and stirring up trouble?" she grumbled at him, not quite able to relax with his body so close to hers. Much more than she would usually allow, especially in school.

"You want to give me a detention, Professor Granger?" he said softly.

She closed her eyes briefly and shivered. "Detention is not kinky," she told him sternly, really hoping this didn't influence her imagination during inopportune moments. "Especially since it usually involves ankle-biters and potion sludge."

He just shrugged and then nudged her down one of the offshoots of the corridors.

"What is this, naughty Professors sneaking off?" came a high pitched voice beside them.

Draco glared over his shoulder. "Leave us alone, Peeves, or I'll bind you to one of these rooms for a week!"

"Oh, now the ferret bares his teeth!" cackled Peeves.

Hermione already had her wand out. "Let me handle this, Draco." She started to weave a spell when Peeves knocked over one of the artifact stands. Hermione automatically switched her spell to stop it from crashing down and instantly the room was filled with blinding light. Right behind it came a blast of heat like when she opened an oven door.

Draco cursed beside her, though she couldn't see him in the light. He pushed her until she stumbled through a doorway she felt more than saw. Then there was a slam and the light, mercifully, was cut off by the door.

"What was that?" Hermione said breathlessly, inching away from the light that shone through the cracks of the door.

"Trapped sunlight?" Draco guessed.

She rubbed at her eyes, trying to get rid of the odd floating spots. "Concentrated too, I'd bet." She tried a dampening spell but it barely dimmed the light streaming in. "You got any ideas?" she asked Draco.

"We could just wait it out. How long will it take for the light to dissipate anyway?"

She frowned and glanced nervously at the door.

"Stop worrying," he said, taking a step towards her. He gently slid a hand along her shoulder until she looked up at him. "Any damage has already happened. It's the perfect excuse to stay here for awhile."

Hermione turned her attention from Draco to the surrounding closet, full of parchments, trophies, and an old broom. "You want to be in a broom closet?"

Draco shrugged. "Can you blame a guy for a few fantasies now and then?"

She narrowed her eyes. "You've got some weird ones."

He chuckled. "You're just too proper, aren't you Hermione?"

She gave him a quelling look. "We agreed that we would be civil colleagues on school grounds. We shouldn't even be here, we're supposed to be working!" She angrily gestured towards his office.

"It's my free period," he said, moving so that his arm wasn't so much around her as trapping her against the cabinet. "Yours too. Think that is a coincidence?"

Being trapped with him was accelerating her heart rate. Pretty soon this was going to dissolve into things that she had told herself she wouldn't do. She needed an escape. She glanced at the door and had to immediately close her eyes. Well, they couldn't get out that way for awhile.

"Headmaster McGonagall practically put her gold seal of approval on this," Draco continued. Although her eyes were still closed, she could feel his breath against her neck.

She took in a labored breath as her heart wormed her way into her throat. "I can't believe you brought her up when we are in this position."

"Hmm," he replied, amused. "But it seems to be working?"

"Were you planning on doing this in your office too?" she asked, light bulb going off. "You weren't bullying the Gryffindors you were just luring me into your office so you could try and snog me."

"Please," Draco said huskily.

She shivered. That was absolutely the worst thing he could have said to her because it made her want to. Merlin knew with everything else that went on in their lives it was hard enough to explore... whatever this was. She peeked her eyes open and Draco was watching her. The light from the hallway lit up his gray eyes so parts shone silver-blue. They were gorgeous. He was gorgeous. Damn him.

"You know," she said. "Talking is an important part of developing a relationship."

"We talk, Hermione," he said with exasperation. "We talk when we are in the Professor's lounge, when we go to Weasley's matches, while little students stare at us. And the only time you let me touch you is when we are alone."

He did have a point there. She also felt desperate to touch him but also was really afraid of doing anything publicly until they were very sure about their relationship. Still, she had been very firm about the school grounds thing.

As she thought he stared at her, almost silver eyes hungry and patient. It was the patient part that got to her.

"Dammit, Draco," she muttered. "No one can know, okay? No slip ups."

She had barely gotten the words out before he dipped his head to kiss her jaw-line. She gasped and he chuckled before starting down her jaw towards her neck.

She grabbed his hair and pulled until his head was far enough from her neck so she could dip in and kiss his lips.

He responded by trapping her even tighter against the shelf so she was barely on her tiptoes.

So it continued, give and take, until Hermione had managed to get Draco on the floor. She was trying to keep his hands trapped above him while stealing kisses when something tapped at the door.

They both froze and looked at each other.

"You have got to be kidding me," Draco whispered before they both scrambled up.

She spelled her hair back in a tight braid. It was the only thing that would remotely hide what they had been doing. Draco set about smoothing his own hair with a spell.

"Professor Granger? Professor Malfoy?" The voice was distorted somehow but Hermione was able to place it.

"Neville?" she called.

"Yeah, I've been sent to, er, rescue you. Will you let me in?"

She glanced over to Draco, who had several buttons undone at the neck of his dress robes. She pointed and hissed at him, "Buttons!" When had she even done that?

While Draco quickly started in on his buttons, Hermione said, "Erm, let us hide behind the door before we open it, okay?"

Once Draco was done with his robe, Hermione eased the door open. Neville, or something that sounded like Neville, bumbled in, and Hermione closed the door quickly.

It took several seconds of staring to realize that Neville was in a diving suit that must have been from the fifties. The face plate had been tinted nearly black but was fading to transparent the longer he stood there.

"It was the only way we could think of getting here," Neville explained, his voice still distorted through the suit. "Peeves came out complaining about being attacked by Professors and it took us awhile to figure out what might have actually happened."

"Of course Peeves is alright," Hermione said, feeling a little indignant. "Too many students giving him life for him to be fried up by something like that."

"He is the one who set off the artifact," Draco added. "The wanker."

Neville sighed and it rattled weirdly through his suit. "The perks of living with several hundred pre-teens. Look, I've got a port-key to the Headmaster's office. Its the only way we could think to get you out of here."

Hermione glanced over to Draco. He looked worse for wear but most of it could be explained by trying to escape a sunny fireball. Probably.

Draco gave her the same once over and winced. Apparently the same could not be said of her. "How about I port-key us to my place?" He said.

Neville, in his bulky diver-suit swung from Hermione to Draco. "If you had a port-key, what have you been doing this whole time?"

"We were..." Hermione randomly pulled a parchment off a shelf. "Making sure these parchments were okay." The parchment unrolled to expose an old but very blank surface. She stared at it ruefully. "Erm, extra parchment rolls are always useful, right?"

Neville sighed. "Hermione, for someone so smart you can be really dumb sometimes. "If you guys aren't more careful the whole school is going to find out really fast."

Hermione didn't insult his intelligence by asking 'about what.' She just tried to hide her blush by looking down at the floor. "Er... what will you tell everyone?"

Neville looked around. "That I couldn't find you guys. Must have escaped the blast. But you guys better be back for your next classes so no one starts panicking."

Hermione nodded. "Thanks, Neville. You're a lifesaver."

Draco nodded. "If you need any of your students hexed or bullied, let me know."

Neville's laugh came out muffled through the mask. "We Gryffindors have our own way of dealing with the ankle-biters, but I appreciate the sentiment." He made an awkward shooing motion with his bulky arms. "Now get out of here so I can do damage control."

Draco grabbed Hermione by the arm and they disappeared from the room in a whirl of color.

Neville shuffled so that he was finally facing the door again. "Those two," he said. "I don't know how they think they are fooling anybody." Then he was out the door into the bright sunshine again.

...

Found this and decided to finish it instead of working on TatMK lol. Hope you guys enjoy it :3 

I don't write one shots that often but if I have another one I'll be sure to post it here!


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